Cross Country | 9/1/2023 8:29:00 AM
GREENSBORO – Cross country is the first competition season for the North Carolina A&T men's and women's track and field programs. But it is considered the third 200. That is how cross country and distance coach Quamel Prince describes the meets to the many middle and distance runners on the men's and women's cross country teams at A&T.
A&T's cross country season gets underway under the Friday night lights tonight at the Elon Cross Country Course as the Elon Phoenix hosts their annual Elon Opener. The women will run a 4K event starting at 8:15 p.m., followed by the men running a 6K event at 8:45 p.m. In addition to Elon, the Aggies will be going up against the likes of Averett, Barton, Campbell, Duke, ECU, Fayetteville State, High Point, Meredith, N.C. State, Rockingham Community College, Shaw, UNC Pembroke, UNC Wilmington, USC Aiken and Winthrop.
Historically, the Aggies have not competed with traditional cross country runners. They have mainly been middle distance mixed in with distance runners. That is no different this season. Therefore, to compete effectively, Prince, under the guidance of the director of track and field programs, Allen Johnson, will try to keep the Aggies focused on improving as they look forward to the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.
"We want to obviously get our distance and middle distance athletes in shape for indoor," said Prince. "We also want them to embrace competition. We know we don't have that traditional, long-distance cross country runner, but we want them coming to practice knowing that the goal is to get better each day.
We want to use fall training to get better. If you do what you're supposed to do in the fall – work hard, compete, not let people pass you, not quit – we will be much better going into indoor and eventually outdoor."
Prince describes cross country to his runners in 800-meter terms. He calls it their third 200. The third 200 can be the toughest for an 800-meter runner. Prince said that is when he wants his middle distance turned cross country runners to think about persevering through that third 200 to reach their goals.
"Everyone wants to PR (personal record)," said Prince. "The goal is always to run the fastest you have ever run in your life. If we're constantly getting PRs in cross country, that means we are moving forward. We're getting better. It means we are coming closer and closer to being ready for indoors."
Junior Fajr Kelly has led the Aggies over the past two seasons. She has finished as the fastest Aggie in all eight of her career meets. She last competed in the Elon Opener in 2021, finishing 43rd in the 4K event in 15:21.1.
Freshman Ryan Prioleau, an Inglewood, Calif., native, is expected to assist Kelly this season. Last season, she won the 1600m at the El Segundo, Torrance, Wiseburn meet. Senior Camille Herring improved tremendously in 2022, earning a 25:24.4 PR at the High Point University Vertcross meet last season.
Numerous newcomers are on the men's side, starting junior college transfer Kylan Willis. Willis attended Iowa Western before coming to Aggieland. Willis finished eighth at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XI Cross Country Championships last season before finishing 57th nationally. He will look to aid the Aggies in the 800m and 1500m during track season.
Freshman Kamren Kennedy is another newcomer looking to make a difference. He was an outstanding 800m runner at Veterans High School in Georgia and ran a 4:35.75 PR in the 1600m as a senior.
Sophomore Dawson Grogan is back for another season. His fastest time in an 8k event last season was 27:44.9 at the Royals XC Challenge in Charlotte. Freshman Kaleb Conway finished seventh at the 2022 Tennessee track and field Championships – Division I-AAA and Unified meet. He also looks to run with the pack in 2023. Sophomore Abdiselam Green is also back for another season.
My goal, and it's a long shot, is to be in the conversation for having an outstanding cross country program," said Prince. "It's a little tougher at an HBCU, but we want to recruit young men and women focused on cross country, consistent top-5 finishers. My goal is to reach out to all races and groups to have them come run at A&T."
Until then, the Aggies will start the season on the coolness of the Friday night lights before competing at the WakeMed Soccer Park twice and at USC Upstate before traveling to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Cross Country Championships on Oct. 27 in Mechanicsville, Va.
